When your supervisor states, “We need an IP camera surveillance system,” what’s your first step? Should you opt for the cheapest camera system available? The decision-making process for purchasing such technology can be quite complex. If you settle for a low-cost option, you may find yourself disappointed if it fails to meet expectations.
This article outlines how you can fulfill your IP camera system requirements while staying within your budget.
Identifying Your IP Camera System Needs
Recent news stories can often spark concerns about safety—perhaps reports of mass shootings or rising crime rates in your neighborhood prompt you to consider enhancing your surveillance or access control systems. Various triggers can motivate the need for a new or upgraded surveillance solution.
Once the impetus for change arises, it’s essential to clarify your objectives. Are you aiming to minimize liability, capture criminal activities, alert others to potential dangers, boost productivity, monitor access points, verify alarm triggers, recognize license plates, or even observe wildlife? Each of these goals necessitates a different approach to your IP camera system.
Here are some key factors to keep in mind when defining your requirements:
Immediate Alerts: Are You Ready to Respond?
The desire for prompt notifications is a critical consideration in your IP camera system choice. If you wish to be informed immediately when someone enters a designated area, opens a door, removes a laptop from a desk, or leaves a package in the lobby, you’ll require a sophisticated camera system equipped with intelligent features that provide real-time alerts.
Certain camera models are equipped with narrow artificial intelligence. This type of AI can autonomously perform specific tasks using human-like abilities, although its range of competencies is limited. Nevertheless, it can effectively deliver timely alerts to your security team.
Detecting Criminal Activity
Are you interested in discovering who is pilfering your computers or raiding the supply closet? While reviewing recorded footage can help, receiving real-time alerts may be a more effective deterrent against theft.
Your objectives will also influence the camera system’s resolution. For instance, if you’re trying to identify a familiar employee versus an unknown individual, the required resolution differs. Typically, we recommend 40 pixels per foot to recognize someone you know. In cases where visibility is poor—such as in darkness or fog—you may need a higher resolution, as forensic identification of unknown individuals necessitates about 160 to 180 pixels across the face. Moreover, reliable automated facial recognition also demands elevated resolution.
You might choose to deter criminal actions by installing visible cameras, or you may prefer covert options to catch offenders off guard.
Monitoring Entry Points with an IP Camera System
An IP camera system can effectively oversee various entry points, including building entrances, garages, parking areas, and elevators. Each of these locations may require a distinct camera type.
Tracking Access with IP Cameras
When using an IP camera to monitor a specific door, you can utilize a single camera with a lens designed to focus solely on that entryway. Given the limited field of view, a high-resolution camera isn’t necessary.
To determine the appropriate resolution for identifying a person’s face, it’s important to understand the difference between pixels per face and pixels per foot (or meter). By converting pixels across a face to pixels per foot, we can simplify the calculation. The average width of a human face ranges from 5.7 to over 7 inches, so we can estimate the face width at approximately 6 inches. Since this measurement is half a foot, we multiply the number of faces per foot (2) by the recommended 40 pixels per face, resulting in 80 pixels per foot.
For example, 2-megapixel cameras typically offers a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. To ascertain the field of view based on identifying a known individual, we use the horizontal pixel count in our calculations: 1920 pixels divided by 80 pixels per foot equals a range of 24 feet. This resolution is sufficient for effectively monitoring the doorway and surrounding area.
Benefits of Intelligent IP Camera Systems
Intelligent IP cameras provide immediate alerts to security personnel when threats or unusual events occur. For instance, these smart systems can trigger alarms if an item is taken or left behind, or if someone enters a parking lot or attempts to breach a secured area. This proactive approach is markedly different from merely recording video for later analysis.
The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) significantly enhances the effectiveness and efficiency of your IP camera system. AI can generate critical alerts and streamline the process of reviewing footage to identify crucial moments.